Job Description
General Description
About us
The CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance has a mission to improve the financing, delivery, and measurement of critical public services through research, technical assistance, and education. We lead projects aimed at reforming the criminal justice system, measuring urban inequality, expanding the reach of social service providers, and more. Each project has a dedicated team of research and policy experts who collaborate closely with internal and external organizations. Our staff have the opportunity to work with colleagues and supervisors across projects and with different types of expertise. We are seeking new team members with enthusiasm to shape the future of state and local policy.
Our goals for diversity and inclusion
We strive to foster an office environment and an approach to work that welcomes and respects different perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences. We are working towards our goal of recruiting and retaining staff and board members who are diverse in terms of race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, veteran status, socioeconomic status, disability, and justice system involvement.
Who we are looking for
We are interested in growing CUNY ISLG’s communications capacity and outputs and are hiring a Communications Project Director to help drive this growth, ensuring that as the work evolves it is aligned with the Executive Team’s priorities and goals for the institute. Reporting to a member of the Executive Team and working closely with a Communications Associate, the Communications Project Director will be responsible for the following activities:
- Building and executing a plan to elevate CUNY ISLG as a preeminent voice in the field, getting our work to the right audiences and stakeholders that include nonprofits, research institutions, and policymakers
- Establishing an overarching organizational message of who we are/what we do that aligns with our stated mission and values, and refining protocols and practices to ensure that this messaging is consistent across staff and projects (i.e. helping to create an ISLG “voice”)
- Strategizing ways to synthesize projects into overarching organizational messaging and goals
- Growing our capacity to engage with local and national press
- Building on existing internal processes and expectations to integrate communications work into research and policy projects
- Ongoing collaboration with the Executive Team to identify and operationalize communications goals and priorities
- Identifying ways to build off of what we are already doing in social media, product development, website management, and others
- Overseeing and—as needed—carrying out day-to-day communications planning work and content development for internal and external communications
- Supervising the Communications Associate
- Additional relevant tasks, as needed
Given the current communications capacity at CUNY ISLG we are looking for someone who has both the experience to think strategically about expanding that capacity and the willingness to be hands on in developing products and outputs, as needed. We are open, however, to considering applicants with different levels of experience for more senior or junior roles.
Our office is located in New York City and the position will be housed there over the long-term, however, work will be remote in the immediate term.
Other Duties
Qualifications
We would love to hear from you if you have:
- Seven or more years of experience in a communications role
- Extremely strong writing and communications skills; ability to produce clear, concise language across different types of materials for academic, policy, practitioner, and general audiences
- Experience with at least some of the following additional communications activities:
- Pitching research and stories to local and national news outlets and knowledge of what drives media coverage
- Managing social media accounts, including advanced proficiency in Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other applications
- Website design and content, including experience using design software such as InDesign, Illustrator, or Canva
- Experience managing projects and/or staff
- Strong critical thinking skills and are able to think broadly and strategically about synthesizing multiple projects in advancing communications goals
- Ability to prioritize projects, meet deadlines, and initiate follow through with meticulous attention to detail and high-level accuracy both individually and in a team setting.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to maintain working relationships with staff, partner agencies, funders, and all other internal and external workforces at all levels with utmost professionalism.
- The ability to be flexible
- Personal experience relevant to the mission of the organization (optional, but a plus)
This is a full-time position in New York City with a salary range of $95,000 to $175,000 and excellent benefits, including:
- Comprehensive medical/dental/vision insurance
- Paid vacation and personal days
- Paid sick leave
- CUNY tuition reimbursement program
- Pre-tax benefits for transit and healthcare costs
- Family/parental leave
- Life insurance
- A retirement plan with employer contribution.
Our staff also benefit from:
- A positive work/life balance.
- Opportunities for advancement within the organization.
- Engagement with the broader CUNY network.
- Working with organizational leadership who have years of significant public sector and policymaking expertise.
How to Apply
To apply, please submit a cover letter describing your qualifications and interests and attach your curriculum vitae. Questions can be addressed to info@islg.cuny.edu.
The CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance and the Research Foundation of the City University of New York are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act/Protected Veterans Status/ E-Verify Employer
RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and AccrualsAbout the Research Foundation
The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).
RFCUNY stands between CUNY’s principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Key Features
CUNY Institute for State & Local Governa
Full Time
$95,000.00 - $175,000.00
Feb 06, 2024 (Or Until Filled)